TAMPA, Fla.— The USC-Beaufort Sand Sharks, winners of The Sun Conference 2019 Championship Tournament last spring, have been tabbed by the league’s coaches as the 2020 favorite in The Sun Conference softball preseason poll.
USCB received five of the nine first-place votes (coaches are not allowed to vote for their own teams) and a total of 59 points to place ahead of second-place -- and last year’s regular-season champion -- Coastal Georgia. The Mariners received three first-place votes and collected 52 total points. Thomas notched the remaining first-place ballot and finished in third place in the poll with 44 points. Webber International (41), Warner (38), Southeastern (32), Ave Maria (25), Keiser (23) and St. Thomas (10) rounded out the preseason list.
USC-Beaufort punctuated its run to The Sun Conference Tournament title last May 4 at Clermont, Fla., with a resounding 17-3 (five innings) win over Thomas in the final game. The Sand Sharks finished the 2019 campaign with a 40-13 overall record (15-9 in TSC) and advanced to the NAIA Opening Round at Columbia, Ky., where they dropped a pair of games to Grand View (Iowa) and Saint Xavier (Ill.) to conclude their season.
The Sand Sharks are led by three returning first-team All-Sun Conference selections in senior Shania Domingue, junior Taylor Boykin and sophomore Sloan Ducey. Domingue led the 2019 Sand Sharks with four home runs, 53 RBI and a .402 batting average. Boykin hit .368 and topped USCB with 21 stolen bases in just 25 attempts. Ducey led the club’s pitching staff with a 13-6 record and a sterling 1.92 ERA.
“It’s an honor to be picked number one in any conference poll, but it is tremendously special in The Sun Conference,” said second-year USCB head coach Bailey Wigness. “From top to bottom our conference is so competitive. Every game is a battle and can come down to the wire on any given day.
“We have so much respect for every team in The Sun Conference,” continued Wigness. “While we are excited to be picked number one, we know that this is a battle that’s going to be settled on the field this season, and we are excited for that challenge."
USCB opens its 2020 season on Sunday, Feb. 2, with a home doubleheader against Montreat (N.C.). The Sand Sharks were ranked No. 20 in the NAIA Preseason Coaches’ Top 25 poll which was released on Jan. 15. Coastal Georgia was among other schools that received votes in that initial poll.
2020 Sun Conference Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll (first-place votes)
USC-Beaufort 59 (5)
Coastal Georgia 52 (3)
Thomas 44 (1)
Webber International 41
Warner 38
Southeastern 32
Ave Maria 25
Keiser 23
St. Thomas 10